Oral and maxillofacial surgical therapy for the older adult

Older adults can present with a wide range of oral and maxillofacial diseases and conditions, and many of these are best treated surgically. One of the distinguishing features of geriatric surgery is the large percentage of older adults who have medical conditions that must be planned for perioperatively. Good communication between the surgeon and the primary care physician is important for this perioperative management. Orofacial infections, the most common of which are odontogenic in origin, require some form of surgical treatment and may or may not require treatment with antibiotics. Preprosthetic and reconstructive surgery may be necessary to treat the sequelae of oral and maxillofacial fractures, the sequelae of tooth loss, or surgical defects incurred during the treatment of cancer, osteomyelitis, osteoradionecrosis, or disorders of the TMJ.